Wish They All Could Be California Wines

SOME CALL IT Old World snobbery. Others, an aversion to any wine produced with high alcohol and lush fruit. Whatever the reason, in European wine circles Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon can divide opinion.

ENLARGE

Jean-Manuel Duvivier

Those who love it embrace the pioneering attitude of its makers and the approachable style of their wine. Those who decry it lament the heady, sometimes overpowering smell of creamy, vanilla-flavored new oak and the alcohol levels of sometimes 15% and more, which can startle palates used to levels of around 12% or less.

What isn't in doubt is the quality of these brazen, rapacious red wines. At their best, they take what in Bordeaux is a marriage of black currant and cedar, and turn it into an explosion of sweet black fruits, eucalyptus and violets. Once sipped, this is met with smooth, supple tannins and a warm, velvety texture. They seem to lack the hardness one finds in European Cabernet Sauvignon and, as such, can be drunk relatively young.

In a world where we are constantly in thrall to new trends and in search of the next big thing, it is always worth revisiting the classics. As Doug Shafer, winemaker and proprietor of Napa Valley's Shafer Vineyards, says: "Unfortunately it is not new news or earth-shattering, but it is what it is. Napa is a good spot for Cab—without a doubt."

Drinking Now

The trick is in the valley's Mediterranean-style climate. "I like to use the Goldilocks analogy," says Mr. Shafer. "It is not too hot and it is not too cold. It's that combination of warm days and cool nights, so you get good ripening and you have the retention of good acidity. What you end up with is good Cabernet."

For the European who hasn't visited California's vinelands, it may come as something of a shock to learn just how small the Napa region is. Its 18,000 hectares under vine could fit into Bordeaux an astonishing seven times. For a region that contributes $50 billion to the U.S. economy annually and makes a lot of noise, it is only 4% of California's grape harvest.

Moreover, according to the Napa Valley Vintners trade association, 95% of the valley's 400 wineries are family-owned, with 80% making fewer than 10,000 cases a year. Such limited production lends itself to the creation of cult wines. Scarcity can lead to high prices.

‘The wineries here read like a Who's Who of California producers.’

The heart of Napa produces very good wines. The vineyards within the Rutherford AVA, especially those planted on plots at the foothills of the Mayacamas Mountains, produce world-class Cabernet Sauvignon, as do the Oakville and Stags Leap District areas. The wineries here read like a Who's Who of California producers: Rubicon, Robert Mondavi, Opus One, Quintessa, Heitz, Harlan, Stag's Leap and Shafer.

I recently tasted through a range of wines from the 2002, '05 and '08 vintages—three cool years culminating in 2008, the coolest. What struck me was how different the vintages were in style, how poorly some of the Merlots showed and just how stunning the Cabernet Sauvignons were. Among the highlights were Long Meadow Ranch, Silver Oak, Chimney Rock and Viader Vineyards. Enjoy!

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